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Big-hitters stake major claim at Women's PGA

Michelle Wie launched a 3-wood into swirling gusts and toward the 18th green, wondering if the shot had enough steam to get there. A shift in the wind took the guesswork out of the equation.

"It died down and I got a little surprise," Wie said. "I got all the way there."

The 215-yard shot rolled within 30 feet of the flag to set up a two-putt birdie and a 3-under 68 that left Wie two shots off the lead during the opening round Thursday in the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. She wasn't the only long-hitter to benefit from windy conditions and a tough front nine at Olympia Fields Country Club.

Defending champion Brooke Henderson matched the 3-under start, which left her two back of Chella Choi and Amy Yang. Choi shot a 66 in the morning, and Yang was on the 18th hole at 5 under with a chance to grab the outright lead when play was suspended at 7:01 p.m. because of dangerous weather in the area.

David Lingmerth is one of a few players in the Quicken Loans National field with any memories to draw on at TPC Potomac -- and they're the best kind of memories. The winner of a 2012 Web.com Tour event on the tight, tricky layout near Washington, Lingmerth once again relied on his accuracy off the tee to shoot a 5-under 65 and take the first-round lead. The 29-year-old Swede, who doesn't have a top 10 finish on the PGA Tour this season, hit 12 of 14 fairways, which tied for best in the field.

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PRO BASEBALL

Cubs' Bryant sidelined

Kris Bryant was out of the Chicago Cubs' starting lineup for a series finale at Washington, a day after spraining his right ankle, and could be sidelined until next week. The reigning NL MVP turned his ankle on third base while catching a foul popup in the sixth inning Wednesday. X-rays Wednesday were negative.

Trea Turner has a broken right wrist after being hit by a pitch, and it's unclear when the Washington Nationals will get their speedy shortstop back in the lineup. Turner was hit by Pedro Strop's 2-1 fastball in the seventh inning of Washington's 5-4 loss Thursday. Turner stayed in the game until Stephen Drew entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth. Turner went for X-rays after the game.

Right-hander Bartolo Colon was designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves on Thursday, one day after the 44-year-old right-hander dropped to 2-8.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

McKay wins Golden Spikes Award

Louisville's Brendan McKay won USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award as the top amateur baseball player. The first Louisville player and fifth Atlantic Coast Conference player to win the award, McKay starred for the Cardinals as both a pitcher and hitter. As a pitcher this year, he was 8-3 with a 2.22 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 85 innings. At the plate this season, he had a .341 batting average, 18 home runs, 15 doubles and 51 RBIs.

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